Excrepted from the book: The Messenger of God: Muhammad by Fethullah Gulen 1 The Companions and The Tabi’un

 The first pure and blessed channel through which the Qur'an and the Sunna were transmitted Who is Companion – Sahaba:  "a believer who saw and heard the Messenger at least once and died as a believer." [1]  the Companions are not equal to each other in rank or greatness

1. The four Rightly Guided Caliphs 2. Those who believed prior to 'Umar's conversion 3. Those who migrated to Abyssinia 4. The Helpers (Ansar) who swore at al-'Aqaba. 5. The Helpers who swore at al-'Aqaba the following year. 6. The Emigrants who joined the Messenger during the hijra before his arrival in Madina

7. The Companions who fought at Badr 8. Those who emigrated to Madina between the Battle of Badr and the Treaty of Hudaybiya 9. Those who swore allegiance under a tree during the expedition of Hudaybiya 10. Those who converted and emigrated to Madina after the Treaty of Hudaybiya 11. Those who became Muslims after the conquest of Makka. 12. Children who saw the Messenger after the conquest of Makka

1. Relation to Messengership 2. The benefits of company 3. Truthfulness 4. The atmosphere created by Revelation 5. The difficulty of the circumstances.

 Muhammad is the Messenger of God. Those who are with him are 1. hard toward the unbelievers, 2. merciful one to another. [They kept so long vigils that] 3. you see them bowing, prostrating, seeking blessing, bounty (of forgiveness and Paradise) and good pleasure (of God). 4. Their mark is on their faces, the trace of prostration. This is their likeness in the Torah and

5. in the Gospel: as a seed that puts forth its shoot, and strengthens it, and it grows strong and rises straight upon its stalk, pleasing the sowers, that through them it may enrage the unbelievers. 6. (Conclusion of the Verse) God has promised those of them who believe and do deeds of righteousness forgiveness and a mighty wage [He will reward them in Paradise with the things that neither eyes will ever have seen nor ears heard]. (48:29)

 The Prophet praised his Companions and warned Muslims not to attack or insult them  The Companions have such a high value because they accepted, preached, and protected Islam in the severest circumstances Prayer of Prophet Muhammed  “Oh God, Oh God! Refrain from using bad language about my Companions!... Don't make them the target of your attacks after me! Whoever loves them loves them on account of his love of me; whoever hates them hates them on account of his hatred of me. Whoever hurts them hurts me; whoever hurts me "hurts" God.“ Tirmidhi and Ibni Hibban

1. Ebu Hurayra "While my Emigrant brothers were busy in the bazaar and my Helper brothers with farming, I tried to keep my soul and body together to keep company with the Messenger." ◦ 800 people who received Traditions from him 2. 'Abd Allah Ibn 'Abbas 3. 'Abd Allah Ibn 'Umar 4. 'Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud 5. A’isha (Wife of The Prophet)

 Definition: Muslim generation came after Sahaba and saw them.  followed in the Companions' footsteps and showed them due respect.  This generation came at a time when conspiracies and hypocrisy caused great internal dissension. At this critical juncture, they protected, defended, and practiced Islam in deep consciousness and devotion

 Uways al-Qarani,  Masruq ibn al-Ajda',  Ata' ibn Abi Rabah,  Hasan al-Basri,  Muhammad ibn Sirin,  'Ali Zayn al-'Abidin,  Qasim ibn Muhammad, and  Muhammad ibn Munkadir